re: Why does Louisiana continue to decline as our southern neighbors grow?

I don't know how you can say that with how segregated it is. At least in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The wealth and crime inequality is enormous. A white portion of Baton Rouge has been fighting to leave the city for over a decade to avoid sending their kids to the EBR public schools, which are 83% black and Hispanic. I agree there is no imminent danger or race wars, but these existing problems are not conducive to industry and QOL. The population is extremely divided and the politicians do not act in good faith.

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Not much diversity when it comes to career options.

I always laugh when I hear this. Do me a favor, tell me the differences between the careers in Mississippi or Alabama compared to Louisiana. Both of those states are growing and have EVEN LESS diversity when it comes to career options.

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I didn't move to either of those states, but, here's my two cents. I was allowed to excel to even greater heights than I ever could've in Louisiana because I was no longer beholden to the weight and expectations of my last name. In Louisiana, who you know and what people think of your family carries tremendous weight. I have never felt that weight on my shoulders once I left, no matter where I went, and I've travelled to many places. I could've done the lazy thing, stayed, and had my life handed to me, yet judged by others because I'm "so-and-so's brother-in-law" or whatever they wanna say. Positively or negatively judged, it's still the same. Leaving that world behind has made me better.

Everyone loves to bash the state. We have a population of 4.5 million and it seems like half are sucking the government tit. We figure out welfare and use that money for better infrastructure the state could come up. For what it's worth, I love where I live and have no desire to move. It's shite everywhere. Someone just may live in a larger place where the shite is further away.

Terrible, terrible, terrible politicians over 50 + years locally and statewide.

Has led to shitty schools, rampant population health issues, major crime problems in the metros, bad job market, and overall low quality of life.

Having lived there for the first half of my life, then moving to Raleigh, and now East Tennessee, it's amazing how shitty Louisiana is. I love my people there and I love the food and traditions, but the quality of life is astonishingly bad compared to some Southern neighbors.

And section 8, the Walmart factor and flight of educated upwardly mobile youngster is killing small towns- too many once nice small towns are cesspools

Isolated suburbs are ok but yeah. Down the street from 500 k houses in
Metry it’s a barrio or ghetto

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Because our lame arse governor allows insurance companies to RAPE Louisiana

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set by many previous governors and insurance commissioners

2 decades, this has been a constant topic on this board

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Our politicians are corrupt to the core.

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this.

Texas: It's a 2 lane road now, but the right of way is for a major highway as we grow.

Louisiana: I will sell the RoW land to my brother in law for a song and he'll kick it back to me when he sells it to a developer.

Texas: Mr. Developer. You will need to upgrade the road, drainage, and dig ponds for water run off.

Louisiana: You good. Build away. Thanks for hiring my sister's company for the cement work.

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New Orleans.

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how segregated it is.

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I've been all over the country and there is NO place where whites and blacks get along better than New Orleans. The politicians try and cause issues, but whites and blacks have lived in close proximity for 300 years. The residents don't buy the artificial division.

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Louisiana has more natural competitive advantages than any other midsize SE state.

It’s a culture and corruption issue.

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I agree. But politicians frick everything up.